The building of structures or assemblies for recreational or utility purposes (decks, walkways, platforms, shelters, bulletin board displays, sheds, mazes, etc.) traditionally requires the person building the structure to have at least moderate carpentry and construction skills. In addition, tools and materials such as hammers, nails, screws and screwdrivers, saws, etc., are required. Depending on the size and scale of the project, it also can be necessary to dig holes or trenches for a foundation, mix and pour cement for that foundation (or buy concrete pre-mixed, and pay delivery charges), then, upon completion of the task, remove the resultant spoils and unused (wasted) construction materials. All of these require significant physical effort, are time-consuming, and of significant expense. Adding railings to such structures or assemblies, or wall-height partitions for privacy and/or security, and partially or fully roofing such structures or assemblies adds to the effort, complexity, and expense.
One previous attempt to achieve some of the benefits of a systematized approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,267 to Dantzer, described as a modular decking system for use in constructing a square or rectangular deck of the type normally attached to a house or other dwelling. It makes use of mostly precut or possibly preassembled components such as rectangular base frames and floor panels, in conjunction with certain commercial off-the-shelf building/construction components, such as nails, metal connecting brackets, screws, bolts, etc., to connect the deck components into a square or rectangular shape, and connect the overall deck to a house or other building. Railings are installed via shaped wooden posts attached by bolts, screws, or nails, at outside edge framing junctions and corners. These posts have vertical slots for the installation of railing panels, and holes bored vertically into the top, to accept finishing caps bolted into these vertical bored holes. The railing panels slide vertically down into the vertical slots in the posts. The outside periphery of the floor surface is finished by attaching finished lumber boards. The Dantzer patent also describes a foundation system that utilizes posts resting on concrete foundation blocks, or, alternatively, foundation components that are mounted either in a commercially available bracket-and-spike combination driven into the ground, or in a bracket and anchor combination which is set in concrete.
Unfortunately, the Decking System of Dantzer still makes use of nails, screws, bolts, etc., for connecting the components. In addition, not all components are precut or preassembled, which means that some cutting of components and/or materials would be necessary. All this would require the use of tools and materials such as hammers, nails, screws, screwdrivers, saws, nuts and bolts, etc.
In addition, the components of the Decking System of Dantzer are oriented to square or rectangular decks, rather than irregular or custom shapes, including open areas inside the outer periphery of the overall structure or assembly.
Also, the Dantzer design allows only for the installation of fence-height railings, while the present invention enables a second, higher level of panels to be installed, allowing for the creation of true privacy walls. The Dantzer design does not allow the installation of railings or partitions anywhere except at the edge of the deck, therefore there is no provision for partitioning the surface space or spaces inside the periphery of the deck. The present invention allows the installation of posts at any junction of Floor Panels or corner of a single Floor Panel, and these posts, in conjunction with Post Brackets, make it possible to install fence or wall-height panels at variable locations, thereby allowing interior space or spaces to be partitioned into separate areas.
The Dantzer system also makes no provision for roofing an assembled structure, either partially or completely.
Another disadvantage of the Dantzer system is that removal or disassembly of the Dantzer design would be difficult, if not impossible, without damaging or destroying at least some of the components or materials. An additional removal disadvantage is that if the foundation had been installed into concrete, heavy tools and effort would be required to break up the concrete to completely remove the structure. The present invention does not make any use of concrete footings or foundations, and can be removed using the same means, and virtually the same effort, as that used to assemble it, with minimal cosmetic repair work to the site necessary after removal.
It is another object of the invention to eliminate any necessity for tools of any kind, other than human hands, to assemble the various combinations of components comprising this invention.
It is another object of the invention to reduce, if not eliminate, any necessity for foundation excavation or construction.
It is another object of the invention to allow either indoor or outdoor structures of various plans or configurations by using various combinations of components from the set of components comprising this invention.
It is another object of the invention to eliminate wastage of building materials, by allowing precise pre-planning of component requirements.
It is another object of the invention to allow the partitioning of the interior horizontal surface space(s) of a structure or assembly into separated areas.
It is another object of the invention to allow the disassembly and removal of any structure previously assembled from the components of this invention, by the same means used to accomplish the original assembly.
It is another object of the invention to allow an assembled structure to be fully or partially enclosed, partitioned, and/or roofed, regardless of structure configuration or floor plan.
It is another object of this invention to allow flexibility in the final configuration of any structure produced by using different combinations of the components comprising this invention, including the ability to partially or completely surround, within the periphery of the structure or assembly, physical objects, areas, or features in, or planned for, the installation area (trees or other plantings, water features, other structures or assemblies, etc., or just open, unoccupied areas).
For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.